After years of navigating a bumpy and difficult road, farmers of Charingma-Rangthangling Chiwog in Tsirang’s Rangthangling Gewog can finally look forward to a smooth and comfortable ride. The chiwog road blacktopping work is underway and is expected to be completed towards the end of January next year. Once complete, the improved road will also greatly benefit vegetable growers in the chiwog.
So far, Granular Sub-Base or the road’s foundation layer for the 6.5-kilometre road, has been completed. This has already made travel smoother and easier for commuters.
The Charingma-Rangthangling Chiwog has around 70 households. This chiwog road, which was constructed in 2007, has been the only road connecting the chiwog with other parts of Tsirang.
And every household in the chiwog grows vegetables, paddy, and mandarin on a large scale. However, the previous bumpy road has made it challenging for farmers to market their farm produce. Considering the challenge, the Rangthangling Gewog administration is now blacktopping the road.
“In the past, the road was very bad. We grow vegetables on a large scale. We sell around four bolero pickup truckloads of ginger and leafy vegetables every week. We are told the Chiwog road will be blacktopped soon since the foundation layer has already been completed,” said Sharma Nanda Guragai, a resident, Charingma-Rangthangling Chiwog, Rangthangling Gewog, Tsirang.
“It was very difficult to take our children and elderly parents to the Out-Reach Clinic and hospital for medical checkups. But once the road is blacktopped, it will become much easier for us,” said Gaitre Koirala, another resident, Charingma-Rangthangling Chiwog, Rangthangling Gewog, Tsirang.
“We have more vehicles that do business in the chiwog. But vehicles cannot take the full load when the road is rough. Having a blacktopped road will help them take full-capacity loads to market in Thimphu,” said Basu Dev Rizal, also a resident, Charingma-Rangthangling Chiwog, Rangthangling Gewog, Tsirang.
The Rangthangling Gewog administration said, the actual blacktopping work will begin in the coming days. The gup said that the project will be completed within the deadline.
The blacktopping work is being carried out with financial support of around Nu 18 M from the government of India.
And this development project is expected to bring a significant impact on the farmers who rely heavily on agriculture for their livelihoods.
Pema Tshewang, Tsirang
Edited by Tandin Phuntsho
